Dr. Bright Answers Your Questions

What this site is about

Is this real? Yes, a secret government agency uses a free for all wiki to host its files. No, this isn't real, and if you have to ask, you WILL be thought less of.

How long has this site been around, anyway? A couple years now.

Have the owners of the wiki ever considered expanding their universe to other media (television, film, podcasts, etc.)? Ugh, yes. The main problem stems from having so many authors. Technically, we could do what we wanted with all this, thanks to the open license, but we're too nice to do so.

Should I join if I don't want to write an SCP? That depends on whether you want to vote, see or join in on the discussions, or edit existing articles. We've got some people who have been in chat for years, and still haven't bothered to join the site. And I know we've got huge fans, who just don't want to actually get involved.

Is this a roleplaying site? No. While many researchers appear to have characters, or avatars on the site, these are really just characters we've created for the various stories and articles. Although many of us share common names with these characters, that's just because those are our user-names. I am not Dr. Bright, I'm just called Bright because I'm not sure I want any of you to have my real name. It's easier that way, and allows for our younger members to feel safer in anonymity. A good rule of thumb is that Dr/Agent/Whatever (Name) is the character, while (Name) is the writer.

Can I roleplay anyway? No. Fuck off. Seriously, posting in character on the site is likely to get you banned.

What if I just write myself as a character? Don't. Self inserts die a horrible lingering death.

What about the person I wish I was? That's an even more sucktastic idea.

Why does the Foundation keep this SCP around? Why don't they just destroy/kill it? Well, for starters, if you've read our logo, you know SCP stands for Secure, Contain, Protect, not Destroy, Destroy, Destroy. That said, if we destroyed everything, we wouldn't have much of a site, would we? In character… suspension of disbelief. Make something up, if it's good, it might be used.

What exactly is Procedure 110-Montauk? Well, you see, first you [REDACTED] until the elephant begins to trumpet, spurting the [REDACTED] holding her upside down over a bed of live cobras, wherein [REDACTED] but you have to make sure you do it no more then three [REDACTED] Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits [REDACTED] over seventeen feet long, but that's not the worst part, because the staple remover [REDACTED] make absolutely sure that the feather boa is black and not dark blue, or else you risk [REDACTED] followed by the plutonium splitting the atom, until [REDACTED] and that's it, really.

The application process

What should I do if I'm applying and all the ops/h-ops are out and/or not paying attention? Wait until someone comes back. If you apply without that advice, you will be denied.

What's this password on the application form? It's a password. There's one around here somewhere. You might try asking the kids in the chat about it.

Do you mean my wikidot password? No. No one from the SCP wiki will EVER ask for your personal password.

My application was rejected for some reason. Can I just go and fix that question? No. As stated in your rejection PM, you must wait a week, and then reapply fully. I highly recommend on your reapply you re-read the application steps, as some of it might prove relevant. Do not PM me asking to get it approved because you just missed one thing, it doesn't matter. If you can't wait a week… yeah, this place, you, not right.

How much of the application is optional? Absolutely none of it.

What is step 6? If you actually read the application process, you'd know that.

I answered all the questions on the application, but was still turned down. What gives? Well, you either got some wrong, forgot to do step 6, or didn't answer fully. If you check the site PM, there will be an email with a reason, unless you didn't do step 6, in which case YOU ARE A FUCKING MORON, 'cause it says to do it, like, four times on the join page alone.

What is question seven? Go to the chat, and get a piece of advice from an op or a halfop (or Yoric, cause he's my little minion), then paste that as your answer. Don't forget to paste who you got the information from, or I have no way to tell if you got it from the right person.

That's not a question. Neither is that.

That's not a question? Stop being so pedantic.

Do you really answer the FAQ questions entered as part of the application? Depends on if I think they're worth answering. Yours, obviously, was.

Getting ideas and writing them up

I got an idea for an SCP! What do I do? Write it up and throw it on a page! The only way to see if it'll work is to put it up and see if it sticks. Alternatively, if you're a little more timid, you could put it up in a pastebin, or on the sandbox wiki, and run it past the kids in chat. They can help. Whatever you do, don't paste it directly to the forums.

There's already one or more SCPs really similar to my idea! What do I do? Write something else. Or, if you think you can, write your idea differently so that it's actually good.

But I can't think of a new idea! What do I do? Relax. Don't panic. Inspiration will come to you eventually. Maybe browsing one of our SCPfuel buckets will help. On the other hand, many of our writers go months without posting anything, simply because the inspiration isn't there. This is not academia, you do not publish or perish.

Is there anything the site has too many of? There's a list. Again, these are not things you should never do, they're just things that have already been overdone, so if you do them, do them GREAT.

How do I know if there is already one or more SCPs really similar to my idea? If you can't be arsed to search the site, ask around in chat. Someone will know.

How is the number for my new SCP chosen? Pick an empty one, and fill it. Personally, I prefer people start at the bottom, and try to fill all the lowest numbers first, but whatever works for you.

Can I kill SCP-XXX? Of course you can. In a story, not in an article. Anything can happen in the stories, because there is no canon.

I keep hearing that phrase, 'There is no canon'. What does it mean? Basically, it means that none of the stories, and not even all the articles, have to be considered when writing your own article. It's perfectly okay to ignore what's been written. Of course, if you take things too far off the concept, well, the people will vote.

There is no canon, so I am free to post my fanfictions involving 682 (who is secretly a mutant elephant) and 076 (who recently learned to shoot spirit energy fireballs) in a relationship, right? Correct! And the rest of the site is free to downvote your literary abomination into oblivion.

My article/story/whatever is very similar to another article/story/whatever. Can I still post it? As long as it's sufficiently different to be new and exciting. Otherwise, it is likely to be deleted.

Can I cross test other SCPs in my article? We don't like it, but ask the original author. Then don't do it. These are dangerous items we're working with. Most of them act bizarrely enough on their own, and now you want to cross them together? That's just a horrible idea.

Can I decommission an SCP? Probably not. Decommissions are saved for the worst of the worst. I know, I know, the decoms look like AWESOME FUN! But that wasn't the point of them. It just got kind of out of hand. So, no, likely no decoms.

Can I write an SCP just to decommission it? No. We also ask that you not write an SCP that is already dealt with.

Can I use a concept from an anime/tv show/movie/comic book/something else I'm into as an SCP? No. These are called 'rip-offs' and we don't allow them. While yes, it is true we once had a bunch of them as Joke SCPs, it is now severely frowned upon.

What is a -D? A decommissioned article. One that was so bad, we couldn't just delete it, but had to actively put it out of its misery.

What is a -ARC? An archived SCP. One that might not be real good, but is kept around because either the Senior Staff like it, or it has been used in other stories. NOTE: -ARCs are much rarer these days, so don't think that by using an SCP in a story you can save it from deletion.

What is a -AD? That designation is not used on this site.

Is the process of moving an SCP from Euclid to Keter a joint affair or entirely up to the creator of the SCP? Completely up to the creator.

What does -J mean? Does it mean so bad it has to be a joke? Hell no. Bad SCPs are deleted. -J means Joke, therefore, a -J has to be funny. Once upon a time we allowed SCP-ified versions of things from other fictions as -J's, but that got cut out during the mass edit. A -J has to be funny, not just a failed regular SCP.

Hey! My ideas are great! Everyone at *insert site name here* loves my *insert absurd SCP pairing here* fics, why can't you like it? Do you simply not see my genius? Ugh, if I had a dime for every time I heard this, I'd have… about 3.50. You see, this site has very specific requirements for what we allow on it. We're looking for stuff that fits our general theme. It's not something that's easy to describe, but if you've been here long enough, you know it when you see it. So, no, we're probably not gonna see your genius, cause you aren't writing in our style. Deal with it.

How much SCP-500/SCP-148 am I allowed to use at a time? As much as I want? Absolutely none. If you honestly feel your article cannot stand without them, ask a member of senior staff. The answer will still likely be no.

Critique

Why are you so mean? I'm not actually mean. I just have a low tolerance for stupidity, and very little tact. I cut straight through in an effort to get to the heart of the matter, without any misconceptions. If this is something you can't handle, it's likely that this is not the site for you.

Are there "right" and "wrong" ways to give constructive criticism on an article? Nope. Well, okay, kind of. While there is nothing wrong with saying 'This sucks', there is a problem if you make it personal. Attacks on articles are okay, attacks on people are not. 'This sucks' good, 'you suck' bad. It is also recommended that if you downvote an article, you say what you don't like about it. You don't have to, but it helps. Think about what you'd want from people downvoting YOUR article.

Why are people criticizing/downvoting my article? Because it sucks. Just because you think an idea is going to be great, doesn't mean it is. Get used to this.

Yoric is being an asshole about my totally awesome idea. What now? Listen to him, he knows what he is talking about.

The people in the chat didn't like my idea! Why are they so mean? Because you touch yourself. No, they aren't mean, just critical, as explained above. Again, if you can't handle your precious baby of an idea being torn apart by the ravenous sharks of the chat… not the right site for you.

Someone was mean to me and said horrible things about my SCP! That's not a question.

Can you make them stop? No. Welcome to the Foundation, kids. We don't tend to pull punches. Especially if you're getting criticism from myself or Yoric. If you can't handle being told something of yours sucks, this isn't the right site for you.

Why do you have such an attitude? Because this site is our baby. Many of us, Senior Staff and otherwise, have watched this Site grow from a single post over on /x/ to the heaving behemoth it is now. We've seen how bad it can get when people are allowed free rein to post whatever shit they want. So, now we keep it in line, to prevent our site from becoming something horrible.

But that's not the way they did it at my old site/forum/chat room/etc! You're right, it isn't. That's not a question either.

Why don't you guys do it the way we did back at blah de blah? Because we aren't them. If you like the way this other place does things better than the way we do things… go to them. We do things in a manner that works GREAT for us. If it doesn't work for you, say it with me kids, this isn't the right site for you.

<Bright | Yoric> is being mean to me!? Yes, and?

Well, I want them to stop! It's not going to happen. That's just how we are. If we actually are being mean, and you aren't just misreading our sarcasm, there's a reason for it. The reason is you're a moron. Maybe you should get some help with that?

Can I have a hug? Are you female, above the age of 18, and hot? Well, maybe. But don't expect them right off the bat. We're a bunch of sourpusses.

Okay, Bright responded to my new article by saying 'Meh' How is that considered critique? Yoric has provided a simple translation for Bright to English: This is an overall lackluster idea, presented in such a way as to actively emphasize its mediocrity. Lines such as "…but were never heard from again." read like cheesy horror movie scripts rather than clinical scientific documentation, and the lack of attention to tone draws attention to the fact that the idea itself simply isn't scary.

It is theoretically possible that a rewrite for tone and the addition of materials intended to up the horror ante of the article could bring about improvement, but I find it unlikely. So unlikely, in fact, that I'm not quite willing to go on the record saying so, and prefer to remain noncommittal. Chances are the boring concept makes this one unsalvageable.

One out of ten.

Wiki etiquette

What happens when I write a bad SCP article/story/creepypasta? We beat you with a pillowcase full of halfbricks. No, but really, people will vote on it. Once it hits -5, a member of senior staff will call for a deletion, on the article's discussion page. If they can get three other members of Senior Staff to agree to it, the page is deleted, lock, stock and barrel. If there is discussion, someone thinks it can be saved, we go from there.

Is there a penalty for having an article deleted? No. Everyone has had articles deleted, even Gears.

Can I put my article back up after it has been deleted? Of course! As long as you have sufficiently edited the article to make it better. While some ideas are better off just leaving to die, some just need a lot of work. I advise letting at LEAST a week, if not a month, pass before putting an edited article back up, just so people can forget the bad taste it left in their brain.

How many times am I allowed to repost an SCP/story idea that got deleted? As many times as you can rewrite it to make it different.

Can I upvote my article to prevent it being deleted? No. Upvoting your own article is against the rules, except in certain cases.

What certain cases? In the case that someone has maliciously downvoted your article, you may upvote it to cancel out that vote. However, if you do believe you are the victim of being downvoted simply because someone doesn't like you, not the article, talk to a mod about it, we'll see about fixing it. Upvoting your own articles is a measure of last resort.

Can I downvote the SCPs of someone I don't like just to make a point? No, asshole. This is called 'malicious downvoting' and is against the rules. If we catch you doing it, well, we'll probably talk to you about it first, and, if you don't change your ways, then we'll ban you.

Man, I really want to delete my own article. Can I do it myself, or do I have to wait for it to hit -5 and for the four senior staff/mods to agree to delete it? You are always free to delete your own work, no matter the vote. Just make sure you're actually deleting it, and not just renaming it. To delete a page you created, click the "+Options" link at the bottom of the page, and select delete. Make sure you check the "delete completely" box, though, or you'll just rename the page and piss us all off.

Where do deleted pages go? They are gone, no more, they are EX pages. The only reason the pages are there in the first place is because they were stapled to the wiki!

But that's a waste! Why can't we like keep a storage thing for them so that we can see why they were deleted? Because they suck. No, really, that's the whole reason. If a bad article were kept around, it would clutter up the site, and encourage other people to post sub par articles, because they'd always be there.

Why do people keep reverting my edits/contradicting me in discussions?
Cause yer doing something wrong. Look at WHY they're doing it, most people are good enough to explain.

Chat etiquette

Oh my god, Bright kicked me from the chat! How should I handle this? Come back on in! Although, you should probably check to see whether you were kicked for a purpose. Most kicks are for fun, but if you're being stupid, we're likely to kick you to try and knock some sense into you.

Hey, I'm running this idea by the chat and no one is looking at it. This is cause to rant and scream at the chat, yes? You really aren't that smart, are you? People often have better things to do. Wait a bit, then try again. Whatever you do, don't spam your link. It just pisses people off.

But everyone in chat ignored me! They were talking about boobs/some computer game/a movie/ making me want to run and hide under the bed because I clicked one of Ecks' links. It may take some time to get people's attention. The chat is a great social hang out, but it does get out of hand sometime. Feel free to ping anyone with a symbol next to their name and ask them.

Is the chat really for cybering? Gawd, no! We get enough weird kinks with Ecks in the room, I don't wanna see what turns you fucks on. It is also not for roleplaying. We have a separate chatroom for RP— ask around, someone might tell you what it is.

Oh no there is a troll! What do I do? Nothing! It is not your job. But, if you have to do something, ping a member of Senior Staff, they just may have not noticed it. Also, don't feed the troll, or you might end up getting kicked too.

Well, I was banned from #site19, but for whatever reason, it seems that I can join again. Should I just carry on, or should I ask a mod? Talk to a mod. More than likely, you've found a loophole, and you are still banned.

Who in the world is Ecks? He freaks me out a bit. To be honest, we're not really sure. He showed up in our chat one day, talking about rape, and posting freaky deaky links. He's actually a pretty cool guy, just different.

hay brite is it ok if i tak liek dis lol I will hunt you down, make sure you never have children, and then break all your fingers to keep you away from the internet. We are all adults here, or damn close to, so let's type like it.

Why on earth are the people in #site19 idiots? I have no fucking clue. The general consensus is that if you get enough people together on the internet, it devolves into idiocy. If you know of a way to stop it, that doesn't involve handing out bans left and right, feel free to let me know.

Should I start questioning any new people joining chat like you guys did to me? Oh, lord, the questions three. Damn the man who started that. (And no, it wasn't me.) No, do not join the pile on. Let a member of Senior Staff ask, if it must be asked.

A newbie just asked for advice. Even though I'm not even a half op, can I give him some? Only if you want his application to be rejected. (Pause.) I have just been informed some of you people are evil dicks, who might like doing that. So, no, end of story.

Status

Who are the Senior Staff? Senior Staff are the people who run the site. We've been around for a while, have some good articles, and generally know what we're talking about. There are four levels of Senior Staff. Just plain Senior Staff have no extra powers. They act as role models and teachers, trying to help people. Mods are the next step up, and help keep the general populace in check. Admins are the ones who run the Site, although it doesn't take much. The big ones are Clef, who runs the chat, and myself, who handles administration and pretty much everything else when needed. The final level is Owner. It's Gears. He's the Boss, and doesn't actually have to do anything, but in the event there is dissension in the ranks, his rulings are final. You should treat all members of Senior Staff with respect, as they do know what they are doing, and obey when they tell you stuff.

No mods are around! Who are some people to ask for help? It might actually be better if you just waited until a member of Senior Staff was around. Nothing on this site is especially time sensitive, but, if you really need help, send a wikidot PM to someone. I myself check my computer multiple times over the course of the day, so don't be afraid to write.

But, we're like, totally an amazing member of this other community, and we have so many ideas to improve the site! Why is everyone being a jerk when we tell them how they should be doing things? Because we don't know you from Adam. Or Eve. Or Steve, Adam's gay roommate. We're old coots, set in our ways, because they work. If you do have an idea, don't feel like you can't send it past us, but don't be disappointed when it gets shot down. And, when someone tells you no, that is not permission to go ahead and do it anyways. If you expect to come in and be instantly recognized for the genius you are, not only will you be severely disappointed, BUT! This might not be the right site for you.

I have an awesome site and am currently the admin there. May I please have admin here? No. I do not know who you are. I do not know your site. I do not care if you are those guys from Penny Arcade, when you join up here, you start at the bottom. Eventually, if you're not a moron, you might move up. But I doubt it.

I own an IRC channel on the synIRC network and it is quite successful. May I please have admin in our chat? Fuck no. Stop being stupid.

Can we ask why so-and-so was banned? Of course you can. Usually, we'll tell you something. Sometimes it might actually be the truth. But, whatever you are told, stop there. Don't go defending them, or asking for more information.

Why can't I see comments for an article? Because you are not yet a member of the site (not just Wikidot) who is logged in. Only members have access to the discussion pages and forums.

What not to do

When a mod says "Stop" they mean, "Talk louder and more stupid", right? Were you dropped on your head a lot as a child, while eating paint chips, underneath powerlines? If a member of the Senior Staff tells you to stop, you stop, then and there. You are more than welcome to PM them to ask why you have to stop, as long as you understand that when they say a conversation is over it's over.

I want to make my mark on the site. The best way to do this is to go through and comment on every article, right? WRONG. Nothing will piss off the Senior Staff more then you going through and commenting on EVERY. SINGLE. FUCKING. ARTICLE. Don't do it. Look at the date of discussions, if they're more then a month old, it's likely the discussion is over. You do not have to state why you like every SCP. Why you downvoted, yes, but seriously people…

Hey, SCP-100-J is pretty funny. Can I write a shitty article just so it can be on there? FUCK YOU. Fuck you in your stupid asses. If you do this thing, I will make you eat your shit, then shit out your shit, then eat my shit, then make two girls one cup look vanilla. No. Seriously, if you are that stupid, get the fuck out, right now. Being compared to a steaming pile of horse shit is NOT A COMPLIMENT, or something you want.